Playbill's weekly recap, with notes and comment, of the latest episode of the NBC musical drama series "Smash," about the dreamers behind Broadway musicals. Here's a look at the April 27 episode, "The Producers."

If, like me, you saw previews for this week's "Smash" with Kathie Lee Gifford doing the mambo in a Marilyn wig, fear not—Eileen has not replaced Ivy Lynn with Kathie Lee. Ms. Gifford has merely stopped by to shoot a "Today" show segment wherein Ivy teaches young theatre students the "Twentieth Century Mambo," just one of a slew of events scheduled to promote Bombshell and hopefully boost ticket sales, which are slow.

"Smile, baby," Ivy is reminded, "sing out!" And then, "Chop chop." You don't want to be late for your performance at the Brighton Beach Senior Center. You've got to hand it to Eileen and her publicist, Agnes, for their ingenuity—Marilyn Monroe signing autographs a at a Macy's sweater sale? They are not kidding around. And after all, Marisa Tomei broke her leg so the Moonstruck opening is delayed, Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest mediocrity has posted its closing notice, and apparently the less is said about the show called Imitation of Life, the better (it is "D.O.A."). If Eileen can keep Bombshell running through June, she's all but assured the Tony Award for Best Musical (the only Tony Award that does anything for ticket sales, although performing a number on the Tonys is also a boost and all the nominees get to do that.)

Of course, like any good publicist, Agnes takes an aggressive producorial interest in Bombshell and is the first to point out to Eileen the difficulties of keeping the show running for so long, "unless you have a sugar daddy."

As much as Eileen's hands may be full, she manages to take a moment to stir up some sh*t with Tom (inadvertently it seems, although I have a hard time believing Eileen does many things by mistake). In the course of conversation at the Today show taping, Eileen spills the beans to Tom that Julia is writing a non-musical adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" for Manhattan Theater Workshop. Scott just announced it to his board.